2010 Pellegrini Merlot

Vibrant deep red berry in color, this is an elegant Merlot with opulent, forward blackberry fruit, a hint of herbs and rich cocoa notes on the finish. Medium bodied, the firm tannic backbone is tempered with a lush, velvety mouth feel. This is a well-structured wine that shows a generous mid-palate and moderate length.

Vibrant deep red berry in color, this is an elegant Merlot with opulent, forward blackberry fruit, a hint of herbs and rich cocoa notes on the finish. Medium bodied, the firm tannic backbone is tempered with a lush, velvety mouth feel. This is a well-structured wine that shows a generous mid- palate and moderate length.

Vineyard Notes

The majority of the grapes sourced for the 2010 Pellegrini Merlot were grown on the Cloverdale Ranch vineyard in northern Alexander Valley, farmed by the Pellegrini's since 1988. A fraction of Russian River Valley Merlot, grown on a property adjacent to our winery, was incorporated into the final blend.

Production Notes

Upon arrival, the grapes were destemmed and transferred by gravity to stainless steel open top fermenters. After a 5 day cold maceration, the must was allowed to heat up and begin fermenting with indigenous yeasts. The cap was punched down up to three times daily and pressed off after a two week extended maceration post fermentation. Once pressed and moved to barrel the new wine underwent a slow Malolactic fermentation with native flora to preserve the expression. The wine was aged for 18 months in a combination of French and American Oak barrels, one-third of them new.